Promise
by madame.alexandra
Summary: Jack's onyx eyes glinted with a smirk: "Love, have I ever given you reason not to trust me?" Short, a little fluffy, a little angsty. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **If I owned POTC, Will would not exist….But as I don't, I'm forced to amuse myself with make-believe and fairy-tales…sigh

**A/N: **I wrote this before AWE came out, and I spent a LONG time perfecting it, so I didn't get it up…and I still firmly believe that this (or something rather like it) is what SHOULD have happened. So screw the movie.

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Elizabeth's eyes burned as she watched the crew of the _Black Pearl_ greet Jack. She couldn't join in their celebration, their happiness and relief at finally finding him. She felt like crying.

He was back. Alive and breathing, standing just feet away from her. She could lay her guilt to rest. She could close her eyes and sleep at night without dreaming of his face, his eyes, his accusing last words…his lips.

Elizabeth swallowed, forcing her attention back to the present, focusing her energy on trying to composer herself.

"Barbossa, you traitorous oozing scum! Last time I saw you, ye were on the smoky end of me pistol!" Jack yelped. "Hope ye 'aven't hurt me ship, or there ye'll be again," he growled menacingly.

Barbossa smirked, his rotting teeth showing prominently, his yellow eyes gleaming.

"Dontch'a be frettin' now Jack. 'Twasn't even me been sleepin' in yer cabin."

Elizabeth's breath caught suddenly in her throat and she stiffened, willing Barbossa not to inform Jack just who exactly _had _been sleeping in his cabin

He didn't. Instead, he flashed a provocative smirk in her direction, drawing Jack's attention to her. When his eyes found her, a slow, roguish grin spread over Jack's face.

Elizabeth looked away quickly. She turned her eyes to Will, who was standing some few feet away, watching her. She felt Jack's eyes boring indo her back.

Jack swaggered up to Will in his usual way and clapped him on the shoulder in a brotherly way, greeting him like some long-lost best friend.

"'Ello, Mister Turner. 'Aven't seen you or yer troublesome lass in a while, aye? And have ye managed to woo your pretty lady yet?""

Will just raised an eyebrow and rolled his eyes, having expected no less. Jack turned his attention to Elizabeth now, with a smirk capable of bringing her to her knees.

"Ah, at last, Miss Swann. Or is it Mrs. Turner now? Possibly even Mrs. Ex-Commodore? Hard for me to keep up, as it is. Which is it then, love, out wiv it." Jack prompted. His eyes challenged her; she knew how much he was relishing this confrontation.

"It's still Miss Swann- to _you _specifically." Elizabeth replied stiffly, the steadiness of her voice surprising her. Her voice betrayed _nothing_ of her inner turmoil.

"Oh, I had hoped we were past all of these…formalities. Particularly after our last meeting. _Elizabeth._" Jack emphasized her name, still taunting her with his dancing eyes.

Will took a step back from Jack, his face darkening. He looked fleetingly at Elizabeth, eyes piercing.

Jack's eyes danced mischievously as he watched her, looking as if he could see right through her into her soul, into her most private feelings.

"You wouldn't mind if I 'ave a friendly chat with your dolly belle here, wouldja, Mr. Turner? Captain to Crew?" he asked lightly.

"Wouldn't mind a bit, Jack. Go right ahead." Will invited, a touch of sarcasm in his tone.

Jack grabbed Elizabeth's arm tightly just above the elbow, so tightly she gasped. Will's hand leapt to his pistol, gripping it tightly as her moved towards Jack aggressively.

"I think right here is a fine place to _chat_ with her, eh _Captain _Sparrow?" Will snarled mockingly.

Elizabeth stared at him, a bit angered by his behavior. He was acting hostile, protective, almost as if she was his property. Not like his usual, gently self at all.

Jack sighed in mock exasperation and leaned a bit loser to Will.

"William. Son. I'm rather positive your ears would bleed uncontrollably should you be allowed to hear this…_chat_. I don't like blood in on me ship, see. Its sticky. And I believe, so long as Elizabeth has no objection, your opinion is of no consequence in the delicate matter. You don't own her, boy."

A touch of a dangerous threat crept into Jack's voice at the last. Will relaxed his grip on his pistol reluctantly, scowling. He looked to Elizabeth.

"Have you an objection?" he asked shortly, through tight lips.

Elizabeth swallowed, her mouth dry, acutely aware of Jack's grip on her arm.

"No." she answered before she knew what she was saying, her voice sounding faraway and foreign to her ears.

"Good. It's settled then. I promise she'll turn to you with all major body parts touched- er, _untouched,_ savvy?" Jack jerked her arm and dragged her towards his cabin, leaving Will looking livid and capable of murder.

Elizabeth wrenched her arm from Jack's grasp and rubbed her elbow.

"There's no need to drag me, Jack. I am perfectly capable of walking." She hissed.

"Dragging you is infinitely more enjoyable. And I don't want ye getting away." Jack answered smartly, throwing his cabin door open for her with a flourish and a showy, mock bow. He shut it quickly behind her with a loud click, and she felt as if with that one sound he had her trapped completely, that there was no way out this time.

"You look bloody _miserable_, love. Any particular reason?"

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**A/N (again):** Well, I hope that was vastly enjoyable to you all. Now, see that cute little button down there? Says' review'? PRESS IT. It's a very enticing little button, and you know you want to. Just do it. Give in to the button…..lol. I'll post the next chapter soon, hopefully! 


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Okay, I'm back. Sorry, the wait was longer than I though it'd be, on account of our computer crashed and we sorta lost EVERYTHING! Sucks, right? Anyway, hope you enjoy. And REVIEW! pleez!

**Disclaimer:** I already PUT a disclaimer. Read the first chapter.

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Jack smirked at her and stumbled over to a chest, where her jerked open a drawer and pulled out a pair of rusty, beaten up old shackles and jingled them at her menacingly. 

"I was considering chaining you to that bedpost there, love, and 'aving me way wiv you…but then I figured it'd be safer –for me, anyhows, - to hide them, 'fore you turn them on me, eh?" he winked at her and threw the cuffs carelessly over his shoulder. They hit the wall with a dismal clang.

"Are you ever going to forgive me?" Elizabeth asked, watching him nervously. He raised on dark eyebrow at her.

"It's a decidedly _remote_ possibility." Jack drawled. "After all you were- what was it, now? - 'Not sorry'. I can't very well forgive a lady with no regrets."

Elizabeth's guilt bubbled to the surface, fresh and searing, and she felt tears prickling at her eyes. She wanted to turn a way, to leave, hating that he might see her cry, see her weakness.

"But-you're back, you're alive! I- I…"

"Thought I'd forgive you for restoring me life- the life you ended so _cleverly_- and ease your haunting conscious? Why, Lizzie, you'd don't know me at all! You, m'dear, are very naïve."

Jack stepped up to her and caught a strand of her honey coloured hair between his thumb and forefinger.

"Tell me, Elizabeth," he asked softly, holding her gaze tauntingly, "do you feel guilty? Do you lay awake at night, plagued by what you did? Do you _hate_ yourself, love?"

Elizabeth swallowed, her shoulders trembling slightly, and shoved his hand a way in what she hope was a rough, defiant way.

"I do not feel guilty." She said, knowing her trembling voice betrayed her true feelings of guilt and despair.

"No a very good liar, are ye, Lizzie? Bloody awful, in fact. You can't deny it, you're tearing yourself apart, it's in those bewitching eyes of yours. No, you can't deny it, and you don't even believe your own attempts to justify your betrayal." Jack shook his head knowingly and leaned in. "And you know I can see right through you."

Elizabeth backed up from him, flushing at his proximity, looking away from him as she struggled to hold back tears. Again, he smirked and whirled away from her, pacing his cabin and examining his belongings. She followed him with her eyes, watching as he ran his fingers over a map on a table beside the bed.

"Sleeping in me bed, were you girl?" he asked with mirth, giving her a suggestive look. Elizabeth choked, startled, and placed a little.

"What?" she gasped. Jack gestured lazily to the pillows. Elizabeth saw that the imprint of her hair was still there, along with strands of hair from were she sat every morning and plaited her curls in a long braid.

"I'll 'ave to thanks you for keeping it warm." he teased.

"I didn't much fancy the idea of sleeping in a hammock amongst twenty men." Elizabeth defended coldly. He raised an eyebrow.

"S'at so? And will ye still be warming my bed no that the original occupant is returned, darling?" he asked provocatively.

His question caught her off guard and her cheeks coloured. She quailed under the hot intensity of his gaze, grasping for something to say, loathing the smirk that was spreading across Jack's face…the face that haunted her dreams and thoughts, caused her doubts, made her smile, and broke her heart.

She longed to be out of here, out from under Jack's influence. Back where she could forget about the feels of his lips against hers and convince herself she was in love with Will, even if it was the biggest lie of her life.

"You seem to be rendered speechless by my charm, a rather rare occurrence in your case, love. The speechlessness, that is. It is tempting, is it not? After all I am…_irresistible._" He spread his arm, wide in a welcoming gesture, his eyes smoldering, hypnotizing her.

"What do you want from me, Jack?" Elizabeth asked desperately, trying to ignore the feelings his heated stare was arousing.

"I want _you._" Jack answered in a low voice, grabbing Elizabeth by the shoulders and pulling her close to him. Her body was tight against his, her mouth inches away. He kissed her heatedly, holding her firmly eve as she struggled.

"Let-me-go!" she demanded, writhing and twisting in his grip.

"Do you _really_ want me to let you go?" Jack asked softly, moving a hand from her shoulder to the skin of her neck. "Nobody's here to hold you back, love. Tell me what you really want. Just," he slid a finger down her throat, "give in."

"I love Will!" Elizabeth cried desperately, grinding her heel into his foot, fighting the impulse to jerk his lips back down on her and let him have her. Jack scowled and pinned her arms tightly to her side, ignoring her foot as if it didn't even hurt him.

"I'm so damn sick of your _lies!_" he hissed, eyes burning. Elizabeth kicked his shin feeble, but he only tightened his grip painfully.

"Don't fight me, girl. I know you, Elizabeth; I know how your mind works. You're woven yourself a comforting little web of lies to hid behind. You're miserable, keeping all your true thoughts, and desires behind bars, your true _self_ locked up like a caged bird. I know what you want; your tricks don't work on me. Tell me what you want," Jack leaned close, challenging her, "don't _fight _me!" he growled.

Elizabeth's eyes burned and stung with the effort of still holding back tears. She was alarmingly aware of how hot her body was, of how much she wanted to taste his lips on hers again. The more she stumbled through her protests, the more her resolve slipped way from her, the more triumphantly his eyes glittered.

"I'm engaged! I'm getting- getting _married…_ to Will!" she stammered, lowering her eyes, unable to look him in the eyes. Jack gave a frustrated grunt and shook her roughly.

"_Stop_! Jack-stop, please!" Elizabeth gasped, tears spilling involuntarily over her cheeks. "_Please_…I love Will, I-"

"No you _don't!_ you _think_ you should love him, you have a little girl's fantasy of love, want, marriage, whatever it is you're going on about! You told yourself you loved him because you though he was what you wanted, needed; you thought he was freedom and escape. But now you know he's _not!_ He's just a bloody _blacksmith._ And you love, you want, you _need_, a rogue, and adventurer," Jack's lips were almost brushing her as he spoke; he was so close, "a _pirate_."

Elizabeth had unconsciously grasped Jack's arms for support, staring up at him with tortured eyes.

"You've never had the feeling of your skin being on fire when touched, never known the shivers that shoot up your spine. Have you ever just felt the need to feel Will's skin against yours, ever felt hot all over when he kissed you? You don't know what it can feel like…how good it is…what a simple touch can do. You don't know what passion _is,_ Lizzie."

Elizabeth parted her lips, trying to breathe, trying to think, too close to him for rational though. She had felt like that before. She felt like that now…here, with Jack. Elizabeth sobbed softly, feeling what was left of her resolve shatter, her protests become empty, knowing she could no longer deny this feeling. He was right; she wasn't in love with Will.

"Please, Jack. Let me go." She pleaded softly, her voice small and shaking. She knew her voice betrayed her, knew she's feel cold and hollow without his body close…but she had to try, she had to try to not let this happen.

Jack put his mouth close to her ear, smiling triumphantly, and whispered:

"You're free to go love, but it's me you'll have to release."

Elizabeth realized her had let go of her, that his hands were resting at his belt and it was she who was gripping his arms tightly, pressed to close to him of her own accord. Jack tilted his head at her.

'What're you thinking, love?" he asked gently, brushing tears off her cheeks with his roughened hand. The gentleness surprised her and she lifted her eyes to his.

"You win, Jack." She whispered brokenly, looking at him through defeated eyes. Jack's eyebrows raised, but he kept his countenance, waiting. "I don't love Will, I-"

Jack seized her around the middle and drew her almost painfully tight against him, his lips meeting hers so forcefully it hurt.

Elizabeth's knees buckled but Jack's arms supported her. The feeling of his tongue on hers sent chills through her whole body, the new sensations overwhelmed her. She broke away, shaking, trying to catch her breath, and lay her head lightly on Jack's shoulder. Her brushed her hair off of her neck and kissed her there; Elizabeth moaned.

She'd never felt like this before, so out of control and lost yet so excited. With Will, she held the reigns, she allowed the kisses, the touches, she made the rules. But this…this was different. Jack was in control, taking liberties Will had never tried, doing this his way. He moved her head where he wanted it, touched her freely, intimately…Will had never made her feel like this. She never wanted Jack to let her go, never wanted this feeling to stop.

His mouth slipped further down her neck and she gripped his hair, shivering.

The sudden hollow wound of a gun being cocked froze the blood in her body.

"I'd take a guess and say this is more than a 'friendly chat'" growled Will, his voice low and angry.

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**A/N: **I just realized that in the story, the Crew has the Pearl BEFORE the rescue Jack, which is wrong, because in the movie, Jack is in Jones's locker with the Pearl. So, if you caught that and were thinking, 'wtf is wrong wit her', here you go, and let's just say 'its fanfiction, so wut the hell?!' Again, please review, and I'll update soon. I would do more now, but I have a hand cramp, so bye!!!! 


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Why, hello there!! My hand-cramp is gone, so I decided, what the heck, I'll type another chapter. Yay me!!! Now let me just take a moment to thank all my reviewers for the other chapters, and say that I try to respond personally to you reviews, and If I didn't I'm sorry and will try harder next time. Please forgive me, and please enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **Don't sue me.

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Elizabeth jerked around, her heart hammering at a frightening rate, and found herself staring at her seething fiancée. She saw wild anger in his eyes, and the look on his livid face scared her.

"What an interesting conversation I must have missed, hmmm? Anyone want to fill me in?" he hissed sarcastically, his gun still trained steady on Jack.

"Will! Oh- _don't_-Will!"

"Shut-up, Elizabeth! I don't want to hear anymore of your sweet-faced lies." He growled at her.

"That's no way to talk to a lady." Jack admonished in a dangerous voice. He tensed up protectively. Will laughed derisively.

"I could kill you." He whispered threateningly, a cold, murderous light in his eyes. Elizabeth shrank away, paling, suddenly more afraid.

"Killing me will win you the battle, Master Turner," Jack spoke silkily, calmly, but with a deadly undertone, and stroked his finger down Elizabeth's cheek suggestively, "but it will lose you the war."

Will Fired and Elizabeth screamed in terror as she felt herself slam against the floor of the cabin. Jack had tackled her down, shielding her. Satisfied that she was only scared, not hurt, Jack unsheathed his sword and knocked the pistol from Will's hand, angrier than she'd ever seen him.

Elizabeth's head spun, tears were flowing unchecked down her cheeks. She felt deaf from the gunshot, and her wrist was throbbing, bent at an unnatural angle from how she'd landed on it.

"ELIZABETH! MOVE!" Jack ordered sharply, as Will stumbled backwards from a blow and narrowly missed crushing her. Jack stepped in front of her protectively and she scrambled backwards, pulling herself up by the table. She watched Jack slash at Will; blood bloomed onto his white sleeve, the scarlet color contrasting in a sickening way. She had a sickening feeling this fight would be fatal.

"_STOP_! Jack- Will, _please_- STOP!" she yelled desperately. They didn't hear her over their shouted curses and clashing swords. Both ignored her pleas to stop.

Will lashed out viciously with his sword and missed Jack, instead catching Elizabeth's shoulder and drawing blood. She shrieked in shock.

"OI! OUT, ELIZABETH! GO!" roared Jack, shoving Will across the cabin and attacking him in blind rage.

Elizabeth fled from the cabin, pushing blindly through the curious crew drawn by the sounds of battle. She flew below deck and collapsed behind the barrels of gunpowder, clutching her shoulder and sobbing helplessly. Alone with her thoughts and miserable.

She just cried, not knowing what to do next.

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**A/N: **a) I know, it was really short, but there's a (relatively) long one coming next, and I'll try to get it up soon, maybe today, maybe not. Oh, and b) Fight scenes are really Not my forte, which is why the chapter is so short, and why the fight scene probably sucks.

You're still going to review, right? puppy eyes


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Hello, everybody. I apologize if the wait was longer than I let on, but I got busy and stuff…yeah. So, I promised a loner chapter this time, then re-read my story and realized Chapter Four was short, so for your enjoyment, I blended it with Chapter Five, hence, this IS a long chapter after all. YAY! Hope you enjoy it.

And Thanks to all my lovely reviewers.

**Disclaimer: **I don't want to talk about it.

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It was cold, and she was shivering, but Elizabeth didn't know hoe long she'd been huddled in the ammunition hold. Water was sloshing around the floor, hitting barrels and splashing seawater into the nasty cut on her arm. Her fingers were covered in dried blood from trying to stem the flow, but the cut was still trickling. Her wrist was swollen black and blue, and throbbing.

She'd been torturing herself for hours, wondering if anyone would come looking for her. She mostly assumed it would be Will, Will who was always there, always thinking she needed 'rescuing'. She couldn't even imagine how angry he would be…but something told her he would love her, that he would easily find a way to explain her little _indiscretion _and love her as he always had. And she'd end up going with him…marrying him. It was thoughts like these that almost made her sick. She knew now, more than ever, that she could never be happy with William Turner.

Not when she remembered how she'd felt in Jack's arms, how she'd ached fro him to touch her, anticipated every movement of his hands with feverish excitement. Not when she knew that, much as if scared her, that she loved him.

She loved Jack. She'd never admitted that to herself before now, never allowed herself these thoughts, these feelings. Mostly because they frightened the bloody hell out of her. Her final acceptance of her true feelings brought on the old, irritating feeling of tears in her eyes.

She _couldn't _love Jack. He was like a knife poised dangerously above her heart, waiting for her to give in, to take that one fatal step, so he could cut her. She knew he wanted her…she could see the lust in his smoldering eyes…but was that it? She didn't even dare hope he felt anything else for her, and it was that that made her afraid to simply sacrifice everything just to be hurt. It just might kill her.

And yet…she loved him anyway. She loved his brilliance, his cockiness, the comical way he looked at the world. It thrilled her, the way he touched her, took control of her, _knew_ her. She loved him, and she wanted him in everyway.

He didn't even _comprehend_ the extent of his power over her…

One of the barrels suddenly rolled across the floor, knocking a pile of rags into the water. Seawater splashed all over her, drenching her wound, and she yelped, half in shock; half in pain.

"Elizabeth?" someone called softly. She turned her head in the wrong direction uneasily, trying to discern who it was.

Someone sat down on her other side, making her jump, and gently pushed up her sleeve, she swallowed and turned slowly, certain she was going to have to deal with an irate Will, and stopped speechless.

It was Jack.

He sat cross-legged beside her, calmly examining her sword wound.

"Nasty cut," he muttered, pulling her sleeve back down easily. "Ye'll have wash it out, and bind it up good. Wouldn't want it to get infected."

Elizabeth nodded, still a bit thunderstruck. She swallowed again, her mouth cottony and dry, trying to find her voice.

"W-what happened?" she asked shakily. Jack grunted.

"Well, love," he started, "there's no need for these." He wiped tears away gingerly with his thumbs. "Master Turner, regrettably, will live."

Elizabeth touched her face where his hand had been, not sure how to react to the tidings.

"How…_bad_ is it?" she asked. Jack gave her a quick glance, as if sizing her up. She got the impression he wasn't sure if she would get angry or not.

"His face isn't, ah, quite so _pretty _anymore. Shame, really, considering it was the only physical part of him capable of _wooing_ a lass…yes, he's decidedly banged up." Jack fell silent for a short moment. "He's damn lucky." Jack added in a lower voice, glaring sourly at the other side of the ship.

Elizabeth turned towards Jack, not knowing what to say. He gave her a fleeting smile and took her hand, examining her wrist.

"Broken, I'd bet me rum on it. Not to worry though, love, I can fix that." He kissed the swollen wrist impulsively and she gave him a weak smile. "I'll bind it for ye meself." He offered, bending her fingers gently. Elizabeth watched him playing with her fingers, chewing her lip.

"I suppose you'd better." She acquiesced quietly. Jack stood and pulled her with him, careful of hurting her wrist. He took her other hand in a flamboyantly formal way and led her towards the stair.

"Allow me to escort you to the doctor's cabin then, Miss Swann."

Elizabeth followed him up the stairs to the deck with a sinking feeling in her stomach, the smile he'd brought to her lips with his comment fading. She dreaded facing the curious crew. Once they reached the deck though, she noticed not many of them paid attention past a glance or a gesture. She didn't see Will anywhere, and was grateful for it.

Jack led her back into the cabin and motioned for her to sit on the bed while he rummaged around in his drawers. He finally came up with two relatively clean bandages and some kind of disinfectant and sat down next to Elizabeth. He pushed up her sleeve again and administered the liquid to the wound, using it to clean out the dried blood and dirt. It burned almost as bad as saltwater, and Elizabeth flinched away.

"Sorry." Jack grunted, letting his fingers slip against her skin as her bandaged up the cut. "You all right?" he asked, reaching for her wrist without looking up.

"It hurts." Elizabeth answered shakily, cursing herself for sounding so weak. Jack held her wrist gingerly, but firmly at the same time, and she looked at his slightly bent head questioningly.

"Mmmm…it's going to hurt like hell." He warned. She watched him hesitate for the slightest moment ad stroke her palm before wrenching her wrist sharply in one direction, producing a resounding crack. Elizabeth cried out in shock and pain as a spasm of almost unbearable pain shot up her entire arm.

"Jack…ah…" she whimpered, collapsing against him, her head falling against his shoulder. Her wrist throbbed angrily. "Oh, _god_." She moaned.

Jack stroked her hand, letting her cry on his shoulder as he bound her wrist tightly in place. She didn't life her head when he returned his hand to her. He reached up and cupped her chin gently, surprised to see how pale her face was.

"You look like a bloody ghost, Lizzie." Jack commented, touching her cheek with his thumb. "I'm sorry I hurt you." He apologized. Elizabeth put her hand over his and pressed her lips against his palm.

"Jack…will you let me stay with you tonight?" she asked quietly, suddenly tired and eager not to be alone.

Jack's eyebrows shot up and he tilted his head at her with a roguish grin. Elizabeth's cheeks colored.

"Just…to sleep. Please." She said tiredly, looking down from him.

"Ah," was all Jack said. "Yer always welcome in me bed, Lizzie." He whispered in her ear.

Elizabeth looked back up at him, her lips shaking, and he met her with a kiss, pulling her close, gentler this time.

"Cap'n. CAP'N!" screamed an urgent voice from the deck, a very unwelcome interruption. Jack jerked away from Elizabeth and made a low growling noise in the back of his throat. He stormed out of the cabin, banging the door behind him, and she heard him start shouting furiously the next moment.

Elizabeth touched her wrist gingerly, her lips still tingling from Jack's kiss. She loosened her hair from its constraints and let it fall to her shoulders; she leaned back, taking a deep breath to steady her breathing, and slipped under the covers. Elizabeth, tears stinging her eyes for what felt like the thousandth time that night, turned her head into Jack's pillow and silently cried herself to sleep.

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I stole that bit from 'King Arthur' (Jerry Bruckheimer's version) in the movie; Clive Owen (King Arthur) sets Guinivere's (Keira Knightly's) fingers back after they're broken. Good scene. Good movie. You should watch it.

And, you should review!! ;)


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Hello again. This is the last chapter. Just to warn you….And I got it up quick, didn't I? Anyway, hope it satisfies your expectations!!!

**Disclaimer: **Is my name Disney? No. No it is not.

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Jack stormed back into his cabin, muttering darkly to himself about completely incompetent crew members. He slammed his cabin door over-dramatically and froze when he caught sight of the bed. He raised his eyebrows, looking mildly interested.

Apparently, when Elizabeth had asked to sleep with him, she'd actually meant…_sleeping._

"That's a first." Jack muttered to himself, considering waking Elizabeth up just to seduce her. It wasn't very often women just fell asleep in Jack Sparrow's bed. At least, not fully clothed.

Jack grunted in annoyance and sat down in a chair, kicking off his boots and unbuckling his belt and weapons. They clattered noisily to the floor, as intended, and her shot a hopeful glance at the bed, willing Elizabeth to wake up. She didn't.

After knocking things around as noisily as possible and still failing to wake Elizabeth, Jack finally pulled off his shirt and resigned himself to _sleeping._ He threw himself onto the bed and propped himself up on his elbow, looking at Elizabeth.

Her chest was rising and falling slowly, her hair was loose around her shoulders. She looked beautiful, angelic, with the remnants of tears still glistening on her cheeks. Jack pushed part of her hair out of her eyes and she turned towards him slightly, her forehead falling against his shoulder. He let his arm fall and stroked through her hair lightly, giving her an exasperated look.

"What'm I going to do with you, Lizzie?"

* * *

Elizabeth felt the first pulls of consciousness tugging at her eyes and put her hand over the,, not ready to get up and face another day. She took a deep breath, looking for the comforting smell of saltwater that usually pervaded the cabin, only to find that the room smelt rather strongly of rum. That is, more strongly than usually, considering this was Jack's cabin.

Elizabeth suddenly had the feeling that she wasn't where she thought she was, that she'd missed something. She tried pushing herself up on her wrist to look around, but a jolt of pain sent her gasping back on the pillows.

Then she remembered what had happened.

She opened her eyes cautiously and found herself inches away from Jack's bare chest. She swallowed, wondering how the devil she could have possibly gotten this close to him without waking up.

She couldn't help staring at him, watching the rise and fall of his steady breathing, her eyes roaming over the many scars and lingering on two bullet holes below his left shoulder. His chest was tan, muscular, roughened from years of sailing under the harsh Caribbean sun.

Elizabeth suddenly found herself harboring a desperate want to touch him. It was an entirely new feeling to her, considering the only part of Will she'd ever wanted to touch was his face…and here she was, wanting nothing more than to feel Jack's skin under her fingertips.

She reached out hesitantly and rested her finger lightly on the tip of a scar, tracing it from the center of his chest to a little above his naval. Jack didn't wake, so Elizabeth flattened her pal and slid her hand over his ribs.

"Curiosity killed the cat." Jack mumbled sleepily. Elizabeth looked up, her cheeks coloring, and saw him watching her with half-opened eyes. And quite an irritating smirk.

"It's a very good thing I'm not a cat then." Elizabeth answered swiftly, drawing her hand back. Jack snorted, and caught her hand before she could stop him.

"I didn't say _stop." _He said in a low voice .Elizabeth blushed again, something that she was getting rather good at doing.

"This is what you meant." She said, as he placed her palm against his chest again.

"What?"

"When you asked me it I've…if I've ever wanted to just touch someone. This is what you meant."

"That depends," Jack said seductively, "do you want to touch me?"

Elizabeth bit her lip, feeling exposed suddenly. She looked down and traced his scar again, not answering. She didn't want him to tease her right now, not when she felt unprotected and vulnerable.

"How did you get this?" she asked, for want of something better to say.

"I 'ad a bad run-in with Poseidon's trident after the barmy old chap caught me wiv one of his daughters. Bit of an overreaction, don't you agree?" Jack answered, the familiar slur touching his voice.

"Is that true, Jack?" Elizabeth asked skeptically, an eyebrow raised. Jack smiled fleetingly.

"Might be." He said non-commitally, his eyes glinting teasingly. Elizabeth smiled to herself and shifted her fingers to the bullet holes beneath his shoulder blades.

"And these?"

Jack seemed to consider for a moment before replying.

"Scarlett, lovely girl that she is. Has quite a temper. And, unfortunately, excellent aim."

Elizabeth kept silent, digesting his words. She got the idea that Jack had just told her the honest truth….quite the accomplishment, by his standards. Knowing this, she did not press for an explanation of the other bullet hole. Instead, she put her fingers near a deep gash in his shoulder, still open and sporting dried blood.

"Dear William himself." Jack announced quietly, before she could ask.

Elizabeth let her hand fall and adjusted her head on her shoulder, so she looked at his face. She pursed her lips, at a loss of words. The mention of Will had made her feel suddenly awkward; lying in bed with Jack like it was nothing to be ashamed of.

"Jack…" she whispered in a small voice, "What are we doing?"

Jack twitched and eyebrow at her and gave her a half smile before answering.

"I'm almost positive we were having a discussion about my numerous, dashing battle scars." He said, his voice not so teasing as usual.

"You know what I meant." Elizabeth said softly, lowering her eyes, afraid her sudden insecurity was glaringly obvious in them. "What is…this?"

Jack didn't answer at first, though she felt him staring at her with those smoldering eyes of hers. Then:

"What do you want, as you so delicately put it 'this' to be?" he asked in a different tone, reaching out to touch her hair. He stroked her cheek and she looked at him again, not sure what to say, wondering what exactly the right answer was. He was looking at her solemnly, and something about his eyes, something indescribable she'd never seen before, helped her to get the words out.

"I want it to _be_ something. I want to know that I- I didn't just break Will's heart-risk my own- just to be another…notch in your bedpost. Because if that's all I'm going to be…if you're just going to-to throw me away…" Elizabeth broke off, her words catching in her throat. She swallowed, bi her lip, and looked away, trying to compose herself. When she finally looked back at him, her eyes were wet. "I need to know that that won't happen. Please Jack…promise me that, and I swear I'll walk away from Will, no regrets, and never look back; I'll sleep in this bed with you every night. But if you can't promise…if you…I'm tired of getting _hurt,_ Jack-"

Jack cut her off with a kiss, pulling her closer and running his hand through her hair.

"I could never hurt you, Lizzie." He said intensely, his eyes locked on hers. He kissed her again, this time not pulling away until the need to breath was imperative. "I promise." He added flippantly, almost as an afterthought, in that playful tone of his.

"Then…there's no turning back?" Elizabeth half-asked, half-stated, searching his eyes for any doubt or untruth. Jack simply gave her his old, teasing grin.

"Love, have I ever given you reason not to _trust _me?"

* * *

**A/N (again):** And, Fini. I hope you people enjoyed it, though my reviews have been good so far so I assume you have…yay! Another note: I stole the 'notch in your bedpost' from a fall-out boy song, because I am a Fall-out boy worshipper. Plus, it's an awesome line. Cuz I bet Jack has many notches in his bedpost. Anyway, goodnight to all. (And review, please!)

Alexa


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